Adjustable automatic timing and dispensing device



July 18, 1967 c. L. BROWN 3,331,534

ADJUSTABLE AUTOMATIC TIMING AND DISPENSIING DEVICE Filed Oct. 15, 1965 2Sheets-Sheet l INVENTOR. CURT/S L. BROWN July 18, 1967 c. L. BROWN3,331,534

ADJUSTABLE AUTOMATIC TIMING AND DISPENSIING DEVICE Filed Oct. 15, 1965 2Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. CuRr/s L. BROWN JWX%% United States Patent3,331,534 ADEUSTABLE AUTOMATIC TIIVHNG AND DISPENSING DEVICE Curtis L.Brown, 295 Stratford Drive, ()wosso, Mich, 48867 Filed Oct. 15, 1965,Ser. No. 496,296 9 Claims. (Cl. 22270) This invention relates to timingdevices for actuating valves, switches, and the like and, moreparticularly, to a device for automatically actuating a device, such asthe valve stem of an aerosol container, at regular intervals and forpredetermined periods of time.

More specifically, this invention is an improvement over the inventiondescribed and claimed in my copending application, Ser. No. 361,130,filed Apr. 20, 1960, now Patent 3,228,562, for Automatic Timing andDispensing Device. In that device, an aerosol container is automaticallycontrolled to repeatedly actuate its dispensing valve for brief butfixed periods of time at widely spaced but constant intervals.

Although the device in my prior application is capable of simplemodification to provide different periods of actuation and intervals ofactuation, it must be left to the manufacturer to determine theoperating characteristics. In addition, although many dimensions ofaerosol containers are uniform, there are many variations in operatingcharacteristics and tolerances which could prevent the automaticdispensing device from being used with some aerosol containers. As anexample, the valve stem which must be displaced to dispense the contentsof the aerosol container may require as little as ten thousandths of aninch of movement. On the other hand, the valve stem may require as muchas several times that amount before dispensing is accomplished. This isa wide range for which separate devices would be required. In additionto the possibility of requiring a choice of several automatic dispensingdevices, the manufacturer of aerosol containers must maintain closetolerances in order to insure that all containers operate uniformly. Inthe present device, however, the criticality of the operating range ofthe aerosol valve stem is greatly reduced.

In my former invention, the period of actuation is fixed for eachdispenser device. If the period is to be made longer or shorter, anactuating element in the device must be modified or exchanged. This issuitable for manufacturers who want to limit the use of the dispenserdevice to their own product. However, variations in operations are notpractical for the user of the dispensing device to accomplish. In mypresent, improved device, the user may easily select the duration ofdispensing action and may vary it as desired. For example, whendispensing anticon gestants or deodorants in a room of a given size, oneperiod of actuation may be best, but when the device is moved to a roomof a different size, it may be desirable to lengthen or shorten theperiod to correspond to the room size.

One of the other features of my former device is a means for manuallyactuating the dispensing valve which may be required, for example, todetermine if the aerosol container is empty. Although this is arelatively simple and eflicient arrangement, the same results can beachieved with my improved device without providing such structure and itcan be eliminated to further simplify the mechanism.

It is a general object of the invention to provide an automaticdispensing device for aerosol containers in which the device may beeasily adjusted to accommodate a variety of valve stem actuating rangesand valve stem heights to make the device usable with all standardvarieties of aerosol containers.

Another object of the invention is to provide a dispensing device inwhich the period or duration of valve actuation may be selected andvaried at will.

Still another object of the invention is to provide an automaticdispensing device in which the adjustment arrangement for selecting theduration of actuation also makes it possible to manually actuate thedevice, for example, to determine if the aerosol container has beendepleted of its contents without waiting for the valve to beautomatically actuated.

These and other objects are attained by the present invention, variousnovel features of which will be apparent from the following descriptionand from the accompanying drawings disclosing a preferred embodiment ofthe invention.

FIGURE 1 is a sectional view of the combined timing and dispensingmechanism;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken on line 22 in FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a partial sectional view similar to FIG- URE 1 but showing adilferent operating position of the mechanism;

FIGURE 4 is a partial sectional view taken on line 44 in FIGURE 3;

FIGURE 5 is a partial sectional view taken on line 5-5 in FIGURE 3 buton an enlarged scale; and

FIGURE 6 is a view on a reduced scale showing the timing, dispen ingmechanism in position on an aerosol container.

For an understanding of the improvement, reference may be made to Patent3,228,562 but for convenience the pertinent portions of the descriptionare repeated to describe the basic timing and dispensing device.

Referring to the drawings, the entire dispensing and timing device 11 isadapted to be supported on top of a conventional aerosol dispenser 12and is contained in a housing structure including a lower member 13 madeof plastic material and a cap 14. The member 13 forms a base unit havingupper and lower tubular portions 15 and 16 coaxial with each other andseparated by an integral wall 17. The lower tubular portion 16 is ofapproximately the same diameter as the exterior of the aerosol container12, and the interior presents a coaxial sleeve assembly 19 dependingfrom the underside of wall 17. The sleeve assembly 19 will be describedmore fully later. For the present, it is suflicient to note that anannular flange 20 is adapted to engage the bead 21 which is formed atthe top or neck of all standard aerosol containers. This engagementlocates the dispensing and timing device and aids in holding it on theaerosol container.

The sleeve assembly 19 is coaxial with an opening 24 in the wall 17 anda valve operating element 25 is slidably mounted with portions withinthe sleeve 19 and within the opening 24. The valve operating element isprovided with a cavity 26 for receiving the standard valve stem 27 ofaerosol containers. The cavity 26 communicates with a flexible tube 28which extends through an opening in sleeve 19 and an opening 29 in thelower wall 16. Upon a downward displacement of the valve operatingelement 25, the valve stem 27 is displaced downwardly on its axis andatomized contents of the aerosol container 12 are ejected through theflexible tube 28 to the exterior of the timing device 11. The flexibletube 28 permits full movement of the valve actuator 25 withoutrestricting fluid flow.

The mechanism for automatically actuating the valve stem 27 atpredetermined intervals is driven by means of a motor 31 mounted on aplate 32 spaced above the wall 17 and having its perimeter seated in anannular groove 33 formed within the upper tubular wall 15. The cap 14covers the motor 31 and is provided with a flange 35 which also fits inthe annular groove 33. The motor is of a type readily available and maybe of a very low speed, for example, one which will deliver onerevolution per minute to the output shaft 37 projecting through anopening 38 in the plate 32. A rotatable timing element 41 including agear portion 42 is rigidly connected to the shaft 37 to rotatetherewith. The teeth of the relatively small gear 42 are engaged withthe teeth on a larger gear 43 which rotates on a shaft 44 fixed to thebase plate 32. The larger gear 43 forms a phasing element which is freeto move axially a limited amount on the shaft 44 during which time itsteeth remain in engagement with the teeth on the smaller gear 42 toprovide a form of spline connection. The gear 43 has a hub 46 which fitswithin the inner diameter of a coil spring 47. The upper surface of thewall 17 is fitted with a pad 48 of the same diameter as the hub 46 toreceive the opposite end of the spring 47 which is biased between thewall 17 and gear 43 to continuously urge the latter upwardly toward thebase plate 32.

The large gear 43 is provided with a pair of diametrically opposed rampportions 51 on its upper surface. A pair of tabs 52 is similarlydisposed to depend fromthe base plate 32 to engage the ramps 51 duringrotation of the gear 43. The ramps 51 and complementary tabs 52 act ascams to urge the rotating gear 43 downward against the biasing action ofspring 47. As the tabs 52 pass over the ends of the ramps 51, the spring47 returns the gear 43 to its original position as shown in FIGURE 1.The pair of ramps 51 results in deflection of the large gear 43downwardly on its shaft 44 twice during each revolution of the gear 43.

A semispherical button or phasing element 53 is rigidly fixed to thebottom of the large gear 43 and in radially spaced relation to the shaft44 to travel in a path which passes button 53 over a button 54 formed atthe top of the valve actuator 25. The button 53 comes into alignmentwith the valve button 54 and moves toward the latter once everyrevolution of the gear 43, although the latter moves axially downwardunder the influence of the cams 51 and 52 twice during each revolution.

The rotatable element 41 which includes the small gear 42 also isprovided with a disc portion 56 which has a thin cross section and ismade of a plastic material to afford axial flexibility of the outerannular portion. The outer periphery of the disc 56 is provided with anactuator element 57 which, as best seen in FIGURES 1 and 5, iswedge-shaped and formed integrally with the disc 56. The actuatorelement 57 travels in a circular path indicated in broken line at 58 inFIGURE 2. Path 58 is tangent to the broken-line circle 59 describing thepath of the button 53. The axis of displacement of the valve stem 27,the axis of the valve actuator 25, and the point of tangency of circles58 and 59 are in alignment with each other. The greatest verticaldimension or thickness of the actuator element 57 is such that when thevalve actuator 25 is in the valve-closed, or upper position shown inFIGURE 1 and when the gear 43 is in its normal, upper position, thebuttons 53 and 54 are so spaced that the actuator 57 is free to passtherebetween. The disc 56 affords sufficientflexibility so that theactuator 57 may be deflected downwardly to pass between buttons 53 and54 without retarding rotation of the gears 42 and 43. This will beparticularly apparent from a comparison of the parts in FIGURES 1 and 3.In the latter illustration, the gear 43 is shown displaced downwardly toits lowest position which requires deflection of disc portion 56 topermit actuating element 57 to pass under button 53. At the same time,button 54 is displaced downwardly to actuate valve stem 27.

In the disclosed embodiment of the invention, the small gear 42 isprovided with a small number of teeth and the large gear.43 is providedwith a greater number of teeth. The small gear may be rotated at aconstant rate of one revolution every minute so that the large gear willrequire several minutes to complete a single revolution. The number ofteeth may be so selected that several revolutions of the large gear arerequired before a given tooth on Under these conditions, if revolving ofthe gears 42 and a 43 is begun when the two buttons 53 and 54 and theactuating element 57 are in vertical alignment with each other, it willrequire many minutes before this same condition of alignment will recur.During these many minutes, the actuating element 57 will have passedover the valve button an equal number of times and the gear 43 will havebeen deflected downwardly many times. During most of the instances thatthe actuator passes over the button, it is ineffective because the gear43 and button or phasing element 53 is spaced too far from the button54. However, at the end of the relatively long interval, the gear 43will have been depressed downwardly toward the valve button 54. As thewedge-shaped, actuator element 57 attempts to pass between the closelyspaced and aligned buttons 53 and 54, the valve actuator 25 and stem 27are depressed downwardly.

The operation of the basic device is explained in greater detail withexamples in my previously identified Patent 3,228,562. However, theabove description is believed sufficient for an understanding of thepresent improvement which will now be described.

Referring again to the drawings and particularly to FIG- URE l, thesleeve assembly 19 includes an annular portion 61 having threads 62 onits exterior surface which engage complementary threads 63 on theinterior of an annular collar member 64. The collar member 64 includesthe flange 20 which engages the top of the bead 21 on the aerosolcontainer. The collar is provided with an annular skirt portion 66 whichis stiffened by radial webs 67. The skirt 66 is adapted to be pressed onthe aerosol container and to firmly grip the head 21 to hold the entiredispenser on the container.

The collar member 64 remains stationary on the aerosol container 12 andforms a support for all of the remaining structure included within thehousing 13, 14. The housing and its contained structure may be rotatedon the threads 62 and 63 relative to the collar 64. This serves to raiseor lower the unit relative to collar 64 depending :on the direction ofrotation. When the device is placed on an aerosol container so thatcollar 64 engages the head 21, the valve stem 27 will be received in therecess 26. Subsequent rotation of the housing 13, 14 to move in adownward direction will cause the bottom of housing wall 17 to engage ashoulder 68 on the valve actuator element 25 and also move it downwardlyto first seat the end of the recess 26 on the top of the valve stem 27and thereafter to move the valve stem downwardly to actuate the aerosolvalve (not shown) to release the contents of the aerosol container.Immediately thereafter, the housing 13, 14 can be rotated in a reversedirection a suflicient distance to raise the unit until dispensingaction stops. This operation affords a convenient means to manuallyactuate the dispenser to determine if the aerosol container has beendepleted of its contents and may be accomplished whether or not themotor 31 is operating and the gears are rotating.

The rotation of the housing 13, 14 also is effective to establish theinitial operating condition of the device, thereby obviating thenecessity of tailoring the specific dimensions and tolerances of thedispensing device to the type of aerosol container with which it wouldbe used. Upon placing the dispensing device on the aerosol container sothat the skirt 66 grips the head 21 on the container, the housing 13, 14may be rotated until the valve stem 27 is displaced to release thecontents in the container. Subsequently, the housing 13, 14 may berotated in a reverse direction to move upwardly to releasethe. valvestem and interrupt actuation or dispensing. The

point of rotation at which the valve stem 27 closes the aerosol valveestablishes the critical relation between the automatic dispensingdevice 11 and the aerosol container 12, or more specifically, betweenthe valve actuator button 54 and the button 53. This manual operationprepares the dispenser-aerosol container assembly for operationindependently of variations in the vertical dimension of the valve stem27 and its required range of vertical displacement to achieve actuation.

Rotation of the housing 13, 14 also is effective to establish the lengthof time that the aerosol valve will be actuated automatically. In otherwords, it is possible to se lectively determine whether the dispensingperiod will be one, two, or more seconds. This result is achieved inpart by the configuration of the actuating element 75 which, as seen inFIGURE 5, is wedge-shaped. Opposing surfaces 71 and 72 of thewedge-shaped element converge toward each other in the direction ofrotation of the actuating element 57; from right to left as viewed inFIG- URE 5 and in a clockwise direction as viewed in FIG- URE 2. Thisnot only facilitates entry between the buttons 53 and 54 to force themapart but also makes it possible through rotation of the housing 13, 14to determine the length of time that the valve stem 27 will be deflectedupon automatic actuation. This occurs because rotation of housing 13, 14determines not only the initial relative position of the buttons 53 and54, as shown in FIGURE 1, but also the spacing when the large gear hasbeen deflected downwardly under the action of the rotating gears and theramps 51 and tabs 52 to the position shown in FIGURE 3. The spacing inthis latter position determines the points on opposite surfaces of theactuating element 57 which will first engage the buttons 53, 54 todeflect the valve stem 27. As a result, it will be noted that when theinitial operating condition of the dispensing device has beenestablished, buttons 53, 54 are closely spaced. Under these conditionsthe points on the surfaces 71, 72 of the actuating element which willfirst engage the buttons 53, 54 are located at the thinner end, or atthe left of the actuating element in FIGURE 5. Furthermore, the surfaces71, 72 will continuously remain in contact with the buttons 53, 54 tokeep the aerosol valve actuated until the thicker end of the actuatingelement 57 disengages from the buttons 53, 54. This establishes thelongest period during which the valve stem 27 will be actuated. By thesame token, if the housing -13, 14 is rotated to move it upwardly fromits initial condition, the points on the surfaces 71, 72 which initiallycontact the buttons 53, 54 will occur later and be located intermediatethe thin and thick ends of the wedge so that less of the surfaces 71, 72engage the buttons 53 and 54 as the actuating element 57 passestherebetween. This establishes a shorter period of valve actuation thanthe one previously described. From this it will be noted that byproperly selecting the vertical position of the housing 13, 14 throughits rotation, it is possible to vary that portion of the surfaces 71, 72which will engage the buttons 53, 54, thereby determining the eifectivelength of the actuating element or cam 57 and the length of time thatthe valve stem 27 will remain deflected.

The length of the period during which dispensing action will occur maybe readily calculated in advance, making it possible to providecalibrations showing the periods of actuation so that they may bereadily selected.

The period of valve actuation depends on the effective length of the cam57, the maximum length being indicated by the dimension A in FIGURE 5;the circumference of the cam wheel designated by broken line 58 inFIGURE 2; and by the speed of rotation. The period can be calculatedfrom the following:

kepgth of CamXr.p.m. 60

Circumference of Cam Where the maximum effective length of the cam is0.216 inch, the speed is l r.p.m. and the circumference of the cam is4.3 inches, the maximum period of actuation will be found to be 3seconds. This is the period of actuation when the initial operatingposition is deter-mined.

When the housing is rotated to cause it to move upwardly, a new andsmaller effective length of the cam is established, thereby reducing theperiod of actuation. The amount that the maximum length of the cam ireduced is determined by the cotangent of the angle B of the cam whichin the illustrated embodiment is 10 multiplied by the height that thehousing has been moved upwardly. This height is /2 of the thread pitchwhich can be selected at 0.062 inch, multiplied by the number ofrevolutions of the housing.

The new cam length for each full rotation of the housing is determinedby the following relationship:

maximum cam length /z thread pitchX cotangent B Where the thread pitchis 0.062 and angle B is 10, the new efiective length becomes 0.2l60.062/2 5.67, or 0.04 inch. Substituting this in the period formula gives anew period of actuation of 0.558 second. One full revolution of thehousing therefore reduces the period of actuation by 2.44 seconds, orabout 0.0068 second per degree of housing rotation. From this, it iseasily calculated that the period can be reduced to two seconds byrotating the housing 147 and to one second by rotating the housing 294.

With thi information, it is possible to mark the maximum period ofactuation on the housing and to provide an index mark to indicate otherperiods of actuation as illustrated in FIGURE 1. After the dispenserunit has been placed in position on the aerosol container and theinitial actuating poistion has been established as previously described,an.indicator 73 may be attached to the aerosol container 12 by adhesiveor the like. Thereafter, rotation of the housing 13, 14 to place theindicated calibration mark in alignment with the indicator will resultin the indicated duration of valve action during automatic operation ofthe dispenser.

From the foregoing, it will be observed that the timing mechanism is notonly capable of automatically actuating a device such as the valve ofan'aerosol container at regularly spaced intervals but also the periodof time during which the valve is actuated may be infinitely varied froma minimum to a maximum simply by rotating the housing structure to aselected position relative to the aerosol container.

- It should be understood that it is not intended to limit the inventionto the above described forms and details, and that the inventionincludes such other forms and modifications as are embraced by the scopeof the appended claims.

It is claimed and desired to secure by Letters Patent:

1. In a timing mechanism for actuating a device of an apparatus bydisplacing it periodically for predetermined periods, the combinationcomprising, a' support adapted to be positioned in fixed relation tosaid apparatus, a base unit on said support, a phasing element mountedon said base unit for periodic movement toward and away from saiddevice, an actuating element mounted on said base unit for continuousmovement at a constant rate in a path passing between said phasingelement and said device, said actuating element being operative tosimultaneously engage said device and said phasing element upon passingtherebetween and when the latter has been displaced toward said deviceto displace said device, and means for selectively adjusting theposition of said base unit relative to said support to determine thepoint at which said actuating element first engages said phasing elementand device, simultaneously.

2. In a timing mechanism for actuating a device by displacing itperiodically, the combination comprising, a support, a base unit mountedon said support, an operating element mounted on said base unit forsliding movement relative to said base unit and support, a phasingelement supported on said base unit for reciprocating movement towardand away from the latter in a path generally 75 parallel to the path ofmovement of said operating element, means for reciprocating said phasingelement at uniformly spaced intervals, an actuating member mounted onsaid base unit for uniform movement in a circular path passing betweensaid phasing element and said operating element, means for continuouslymoving said actuating member at a uniform rate, said actuating memberbeing operative to simultaneously engage said phas ing element andoperating element and to displace the latter upon passing between saidelements when said phasing element has been moved toward said base unitat one of said intervals, and means for selectively varying the positionof said base unit relative to said support in the direction of movementof said operating element to determine the range of movement of saidoperating element relative to said support.

3. A timing mechanism according to claim 2 in which said actuatingmember has opposed surfaces for engaging said operating element and saidphasing element, respectively, and in which said surfaces convergerelative to each other in the direction of movement of said actuatingmember.

4. A timing mechanism in accordance with claim 3 in which saidconverging surfaces have a maximum spacing corresponding to the maximumrange of reciprocal movement of said operating element.

5. A timing mechanism in accordance with claim 3 in which saidconverging surfaces have an effective length determining the length oftime said surfaces are in engagement with said operating and phasingelements.

6. In a timing mechanism for periodically displacing a device of anapparatus, a base unit, a drive member supported on said base unit forrotation and axial movement relative thereto about an axis disposedparallel to the path of movement of the device to be displaced, meansfor rotating said drive member at a uniform rate, additional meansresponsive to rotation of said drive member for periodically moving thelatter axially, a timing member connected in driving relation to saiddrive member, said timing member including an actuator element mountedthereon for movement in a circumferential path passing between saiddrive member and said device, said actuating element being operable todisplace said device when said actuating element is disposed betweensaid device and said drive member and the latter has been moved axiallytoward said base member, a support structure adapted for positioning infixed relation to said ap paratus, said base unit being mounted on saidsupport structure for selective adjustment in the direction ofdisplacement of said device and relative to the latter to determine theamount of displacement of said device by said actuating element.

7. In a timing mechanism for automatically and periodically actuating adevice, a support member adapted to be supported in fixed relationrelative to said device, a base unit on said support member, anoperating element mounted on said base unit for movement in a rangebetween a first and second position relative to said support member, aphasing element supported on said base unit for periodic movement towardand away from said operating element, an actuating member movable in apath passing between said phasing element and said operating element,said actuating member having opposed cam surfaces operative tosimultaneously engage said phasing element and operating element uponmovement therebetween to displace the latter from said first positiontoward said second position, said cam surfaces converging toward eachother in the direction of movement of said actuating element, meansincluding threads on said base unit and on said support for selectivelyadjusting said base unit relative to said support upon relative movementtherebetween to establish the initial position on said cam surfaces atwhich the latter simultaneously engage said phasing element andactuator, said cam surfaces having a maximum spacing determining thefinal position at which said cam surfaces engage said phasing elementand actuator, the spacing between said initial and final positionsdetermining the time during which said actuator is displaced from itssaid first position.

8. In a timing mechanism for use with an aerosol container having adepressible valve stem, a support adapted to be mounted in fixedrelation on said container, a base unit, means mounting said base uniton said support for adjustment of said base unit to selected positionsrelative to said support in the direction of movement of said stem, anoperating element slidably mounted in said base unit and being adaptedto engage said stem, said actuating member being operative to passbetween and simultaneously engage said phasing element and operatingelement to displace said stem when said phasing element has been movedtoward said base unit, said base unit being moved to said selectedpositions to determine the spacing between said phasing element andoperating element when said elements are initially and simultaneouslyengaged by said actuating member to determine the length of time thatsaid stem is displaced.

9. A timing mechanism in accordance with claim 8 in which said meansmounting said base unit on said support includes complementary threadportions on said support and base unit and selective rotation of thelatter infinitely varies the spacing between said base unit and support.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,100,315 11/1937 Harper 2222,100,316 11/1937 Harper 222-55 ROBERT B. REEVES, Primary Examiner HADDS. LANE, Examiner.

complementary

1. IN A TIMIMG MECHANISM FOR ACTUATING A DEVICE OF AN APPARATUS BYDISPLACING IT PERIODICALLY FOR PREDETERMINED PERIODS, THE COMBINATIONCOMPRISING, A SUPPORT ADAPTED TO BE POSITIONED IN FIXED RELATION TO SAIDAPPARATUS, A BASE UNIT ON SAID SUPPORT, A PHASING ELEMENT MOUNTED ONSAID BASE UNIT FOR PERIODIC MOVEMENT TOWARD AND AWAY FROM SAID DEVICE,AN ACTUATING ELEMENT MOUNTED ON SAID BASE UNIT FOR CONTINUOUS MOVEMENTAT A CONSTANT RATE IN A PATH PASSING BETWEEN SAID PHASING ELEMENT ANDSAID DEVICE, SAID ACTUATING ELEMENT BEING OPERATIVE TO SIMULTANEOUSLYENGAGE SAID DEVICE AND SAID PHASING ELEMENT UPON PASSING THEREBETWEENAND WHEN THE LATTER HAS BEEN DISPLACED TOWARD SAID DEVICE TO DISPLACESAID DEVICE, AND MEANS FOR SELECTIVELY ADJUSTING THE POSITION OF SAIDBASE UNIT RELATIVE TO SAID SUPPORT TO DETERMINE THE POINT AT WHICH SAIDACTUATING ELEMENT FIRST ENGAGES SAID PHASING ELEMENT AND DEVICE,SIMULTANEOUSLY.